As a result of speaking out
on abuse many have been punished for trying to warn others in the congregation
as well as endeavoring to find closure by talking about what happened
to them of their family. Victims and advocates have been silenced by
sanctions within the congregation that range from being marked as bad
association to outright disfellowshipping for trying to protect children.
At silentlambs we realize that it takes great courage to speak out about
abuse. Instead of punishing those that do we are creating a "hall
of fame" for those who are so brave. We call it the silentlambs
"courage" award. We honor those persons as champions for children
and put them forth as an example of the right way abuse should be addressed.

Current
Courage Award Recipients

For courage above
and beyond the call of duty in the interests of protecting children,
we are happy to name the following individuals as Courage Award Recipients:

Dr.
Shane Spicer: Dr. Spicer for his work in helping victims of
Hurricane Katrina. During the aftermath of the hurricane, Dr. Spicer
provided emergency psychiatric services to many, many patients for days
until they were eventually rescued. While his work in New Orleans during
the crisis was not related to child abuse, he did provide emergency
psychiatric services to both parents and children in crisis. Many people
were terrified while trapped in the hotel, he admirably worked to calm/ease
the minds of anyone who needed him in a profession manner above and
beyond the call of duty.

Corie Pandelo/Holloway:
Corie is the first recipient of the silentlambs courage award. She was
one of the first persons to step up to the media and reveal the terrible
abuse she suffered as a child. Her efforts opened the way for the many
other abuse survivors to speak out and finally be heard. She did an
extensive interview for Dateline but it was all left on the cutting
room floor. Her courage to be the first is what has helped many abuse
survivors.

Erica Garza:
Erica interviewed on Dateline, went to the national media, interviewed
with newspapers and spoke out about her abuse. When she initially came
forward about her abuse, she was told that she would be disfellowshipped.
She then went to the police, and reported her molester. When she went
to court to testify about the horrible abuse she suffered from age four
to thirteen her fellow Jehovah’s Witnesses sat on the molesters
side of the courtroom, and protected him and even sent her a death threats,
all for standing up and reporting a child molester. Her testimony took
a child molester off the streets and put him in jail though he remains
a JW in good standing.

Victoria Boer: Vicky
went to court and testified about the Watchtower policy that literally
destroyed her life. The trial lasted for two weeks, as Watchtower hierarchy
sought to get close to one hundred Jehovah’s Witnesses called
from several congregations in the Toronto area to sit on their side
of the courtroom in opposition to her. Yet she stepped forward and she
testified. That court case has yet to be decided as of today, in Canada,
where this trial took place. We appreciate her courage in trying to
protect children.

Laurie Fitzwater:
Laurie was featured on Dateline and it was discussed about the molester
that she knew who molested 17 little girls. He remains a Jehovah’s
Witness in good standing as he resides in a prison penal facility. Yet
when she tried to warn other members of her congregation about what
happened, the elders disfellowshipped her for trying to protect the
children.

Sherry Galvez: Sherry
is a survivor of abuse who stepped up to help Erica in her court trial.
She sat on the other side of that courtroom with Erica as the seventy
Witnesses gave them dirty looks and ill treatment, but she was a friend
who stood by Erica. She came back to the courtroom when this man had
to be reconvicted and she testified in Erica’s behalf and told
about the extent of the abuse and how it had affected her life.

Pat Garza:
Watchtower intimidates those who suffer abuse. pat was afraid when she
first spoke to silentlambs to use her own telephone for fear of what
the organization would to do to her. Now that she has been involved
with the progress of the silentlambs organization over two years she
has grown in both personal and spiritual ways. She is a person who has
courageously stepped up and not only spoken out in court for victims
of abuse but also spoken about her own abuse and has went fearlessly
to the media recently and contacted them She did an excellent job of
articulating how Watchtower policy hurts so many and the need to protect
the children.

Carl Pandelo/Barb
Pandelo: Two parents that stood beside their daughter and enabled
her to be strong to stand up. They were part of the Dateline story that
featured a child molester going door to door. They supported their daughter
when she went to the media to be interviewed about these things. They
have fearlessly stood up for what was right and for their bravery they
were disfellowshipped.

Jeannie Krause:
Jean is an abuse survivor. When trying to reach out for justice in helping
her daughter she to was threatened with disfellowshipping for trying
to warn the congregation about the man who molested her daughter. When
they went to the elders, they were told to be silent, threatened with
disfellowshipping, her appearance at the silentlambs march means the
elders may still try to disfellowship her. She helped many to attend
to silentlambs march and serves as the chapter director for silentlambs
in New York.

Joe Anderson/Barbara
Anderson: Another married couple who stood up on abuse issues
and were terribly sanctioned as a result. When the wife went on Dateline
and told the truth about cover-ups she was faced with judicial committees,
when the husband simply resigned as an elder after 43 years to protest
abuse, he was disfellowshipped within two weeks. For their courageous
effort in standing for what is right in the interests of protecting
children.

Sheila Bowen: When
I first came out on this issue of abuse, this person was told, that
all they had to do was just leave me, and they would be protected and
taken care of along with my children. She turned them down flat and
as a result has suffered the ridicule that follows those who stand up
for children in this organization. She has supported and assisted the
founding of silentlambs and serves on the board of directors.

Ewelina Pyjko:
Ewe is the first silentlambs courage recipient in Europe. She lives
in Germany and bravely spoke out about her abuse as well as reported
her molester to the police. Her courage at age 17 to help others sets
the example for many other youth. She continues as an active Jehovah’s
Witness along with her mother.

Joshua M. White: Joshua bravely reported his molester and testified to see that he would not hurt other children. We welcome his courage and bravery as a young lad that stood up for what is right.